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I wrote a post a few months back asking Should we teach cursive handwriting to our kids? (Spoiler alert – I think the answer is yes!) I knew all along that I would want to incorporate cursive handwriting lessons into our homeschool but I was afraid it would be met with resistance. So I put it off for our first year. I said 2nd grade would be better. Well, towards the end of our 1st grade year BigG spotted a cursive book I had bought and his eyes lit up. He said, “When am I going to learn THAT?” I told him 2nd grade. But he begged, and pleaded and begged some more so on the last day of first grade I taught him how to write his name in cursive. I realize that’s probably not the way you’re supposed to but it made him happy. He wrote his name in cursive all summer long. And then when it was time to go “back to school” learning cursive was a huge motivator! In fact for the first few weeks we started our day with cursive because it put him in a good, cooperative mood. I know…this has been the weirdest experience. LOL.

So we were using (to not name names) a “traditional” cursive handwriting program. The same one I used in private school to learn cursive when I was his age. But I realized that I just didn’t write like that anymore. It’s not that I don’t write in cursive anymore, I do. But this way….it was so….flourished. With a lot of unnecessary loops that I just didn’t do anymore. I was having to re-teach myself so I could teach him! Continue reading →

Should you teach cursive handwriting to your kids?

I could just say YES and be done with this entire post. But I guess I’ll elaborate.

So what are the reasons for teaching your children cursive?

Historical Documents are all written in cursive.Do we want a generation of people who are unable to read original historical documents?

Important family documents may also be written in cursive.Notes in the family bible, letters great-grandpa wrote home during the war, your great-aunt’s famous cornbread recipe – probably all written in cursive. What good is it passing these mementos down to our children if they can’t read them?

Taking notes is quicker in cursive.
I take notes every Sunday during church. They’re all in cursive and pretty much everything else I write is print.

You have to know cursive to have a signature.Signatures are as unique as you are. Without cursive, you’ll never have a signature. And there are some pretty important things that require a signature – driver’s license, marriage certificate, legal papers, financial papers, etc.

It’s a fine motor skill.
Meaning, the sooner your child starts practicing it the sooner his fine motor skills will be honed.

So, WHEN should start teaching cursive?

Well, I say it’s never to late to start! I went to private school and I started learning in 1st grade. I think that’s a good age to start. I know some people teach their children cursive before they teach them print! That’s okay too!

BigG is in 2nd grade right now and we started cursive on his first day of 2nd grade. Full disclosure though, he’s 1st grade age – he skipped Kindergarten last year – so he’s the same age I was when I learned. That’s one of the reasons I held off last year when we started 1st grade. I wanted his maturity level a little higher before we started – getting him to write anything last year was a hair-pulling ordeal Shortly before we finished our year last year, he saw a cursive book and said, “When are we going to start doing that?” And I said 2nd grade. And he said, “Oh, but I want to do it NOW!” He was really excited about it. I had to fend him off the last couple weeks of school because he realllllly wanted to start Cursive. On our last day of 1st grade I showed him his name. He practiced it all.summer.long. And talked all summer about how he was going to learn cursive in 2nd grade!

So go figure, I guess I could’ve started last year!

So I guess the moral of the story is to start teaching them when you feel like they are ready. If it’s not working, shelve it for 3-6 months and try again!

Handwriting Resources for Kids

Are you an educator or parent who wants to spend time teaching your kids how to write in cursive? If so, these resources from Educents will make it a lot easier and FUN to learn cursive.

Web Learning Resources for Kids

Online learning is becoming even more important for the next generations. Educents also has affordable resources that helps children develop their typing and coding skills.

Learn to Mod with Minecraft – Did you know kids can learn how
to code by modifying (or “modding”) Minecraft®? Kids learn how to code in Java® and apply it to Minecraft® themed problems!

The WriteWell App– A simple and intuitive web-based tool that makes writing fun and effective. With its unique visual and tactile interface and library of interactive essay templates, WriteWell is a convenient tool for teachers and students at home or in the classroom.

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